Sunday, November 30, 2014
Month in Review – November 2014
I read 5 books in November. I’m always looking for new read-a-thons – let me know if you know of one.
I’ve signed up for the
Busy month for me – will be starting to sign up for 2015 Reading Challenges soon.
Books Reviewed:
Posts:
*11/21 - Thunderclap (Twitter/Facebook) - Naked in Nashville by Haylie Harbour
*11/30 - Thunderclap (Twitter/Facebook) - Endgame by by David Toft
*11/30 - Thunderclap (Twitter/Facebook) - Flash Burn Box Set by Alexandra I
*11/30 - Thunderclap (Twitter/Facebook) - Holidays with the Belles event by Southern Belle Book Blog & Leighton Riley
Book Blitz/Giveaway (YA Bound) : The Spirit Heir by Kaitlyn Davis
Book Blitz/#Giveaway (YA Bound) : Reluctant Prince (Kingdom of Cymmera #1) by Dani-Lyn Alexander
Cover Reveal (InkSlinger PR): Blindsided by Emma Hart
Grand Finale Blitz (Prism Book Tours) : Arcana by Jessica Leake
Release Day Blitz (Prism Book Tours): Flury: Journey of a Snowman by Tony Bertauski
Release Blitz (Reading Addiction Blog Tours) : Take a Chance by Caridad Pineiro
Release Day Book Blitz (YA Bound) : Kissing Frogs by Alisha Sevigny
Book Blitz/#Giveaway (YA Bound) : Because You Exist by Tiffany Truitt
Book Blitz/#Giveaway (YA Bound) : Gauge by Cara Nelson
Book Blitz/#Giveaway (YA Bound) : Eleventh Elementum by J.L. Bond and Val Richards
Sue’s 2014 Reading Challenges Progress:
>> GoodReads Challenge - Travel the United States 4/51
>> GoodReads Challenge – 2014 Reading Challenge 39/100
>> GoodReads Challenge- National Football League Challenge
>> 2014 Finishing the Series Reading Challenge (Socrates' Book Review)
>> 2014 Cruisin' thru the Cozies (Socrates' Book Review) 1/6
>> 2014 What An Animal Reading Challenge VII (Socrates' Book Review) 8/13
>> 2014 TBR Pile Reading Challenge (Bookish) 3/52
>> I Love Library Books Reading Challenge 2014 (My Book Dragon) 3/24
>> I Love Picture Books Reading Challenge 2014 (Book Dragon's Lair) 14/20
>> You Read How Many Books? Reading Challenge 2014 (Book Dragon's Lair) 39/100
>> 2014 Audiobook Challenge (HotListens & The Book Nympho) 1/6
>> 2014 Nonfiction Reading Challenge (Introverted Reader) 12/5 – COMPLETED 5/2014
>> State by State in 2014 (USA Fiction Challenge) 4/50
>> 2014 Erotic Romance Reading Challenge (Herding Cat & Burning Soup) 12/12 – COMPLETED 4/2014
>> 2014 Anna & Kristilyn’s Book Bingo Reading Challenge (Reading in Winter and Creativity’s Corner) 3/5
>> 2014 Where Are You Reading? Challenge (Book Journey) 4/50
>> 2014 Kristin Hannah Reading Challenge (Rachael Turns Pages) 0/2
>> 2014 Alphabet Soup Reading Challenge (Escape With Dollycas Into A Good Book) 7/26
>> 2014 Romance Reading Challenge (The Bookworm) 1/3
>> 2014 Read Your Freebies! Reading Challenge (The Book Vixen) 23/50
>> Let Me Count the Ways 2014 Reading Challenge (Creatively Crazed) 3302/10,000
Sunday Post Edition #73
The Sunday Post is a weekly meme hosted by Kimba the Caffeinated Book Reviewer ~ It's a chance to share news~ A post to recap the past week on your blog, showcase books and things we have received and share news about what is coming up on our blog for the week ahead.
This Last Week @ Books, Books The Magical Fruit
Week of November 23 – November 29
*11/25 - Thunderclap (Twitter/Facebook) - Moonlight Lost: YA paranormal by Sabrina Bradley Archer
*11/25 - Thunderclap (Twitter/Facebook) - Ready to Were: Shift Happens by Robyn Peterman
*11/27 - Thunderclap (Twitter) - Perfect Madness - by Alastair Macartney
*11/27 - Thunderclap (Twitter/Facebook) - Four-Bitten Fangtasy?!?! by Melanie James
*11/28 - Thunderclap (Twitter/Facebook) - Black Friday Deal: The Fighter by Kira Adams
*11/29 – Thunderclap – Twitter/Facebook (Bewitching Book Tours): Bewitching Brews and Devilsih Desserts - Edited by Roxanne Rhoads
Book Blitz/#Giveaway (YA Bound) : Anomaly by Tonya Kuper
Cover Reveal (InkSlinger PR): Winter Anthology – All I Want
Cover Reveal (YA Bound) : Atlantis Rising by Gloria Craw
Cover Reveal (InkSlinger PR): Forever Found by Nazarea Andrew
Feature Post (InkSlinger PR): Diamonds and Dust by Jessie Evans
Grand Finale Blitz (Prism Book Tours) : Christmas, Actually Anthology
Promo (Reading Addiction Blog Tours) : Winter Wolf by R J Blain
Release Blitz/#Giveaway (Reading Addiction Blog Tours) : The Bleaklisted Books by David Brown
Release Day Blitz (Bewitching Book Tours): Christmas at Thorncliff Towers by Marina Myles
Release Day Book Blitz (YA Bound) : Hemlock Veils by Jennie Davenport
Author Guest Post (Pump Up Your Books Tours) : K-9 Cop: Case #1 The Dreck Report! By Erna Mueller
Next Week @ Books, Books The Magical Fruit
Week of November 30 – December 6
*11/30 - Thunderclap (Twitter/Facebook) - Endgame by by David Toft
*11/30 - Thunderclap (Twitter/Facebook) - Flash Burn Box Set by Alexandra I
*11/30 - Thunderclap (Twitter/Facebook) - Holidays with the Belles event by Southern Belle Book Blog & Leighton Riley
*12/01 - Thunderclap (Twitter/Facebook) - Affliction Release Day by River Savage
*12/01 - Thunderclap (Twitter/Facebook) - ANYONE? by Angela Scott
*12/01 - Thunderclap (Twitter/Facebook) - Bound by Blood by Margo Bond Collins and Night Home by Rose Titus
*12/01 - Thunderclap (Twitter/Facebook) - LULLABY by Bridgette O'Hare
*12/01 - Thunderclap (Twitter/Facebook) - Ride with The Sacred Band by janet morris
*12/02 - Thunderclap (Twitter/Facebook) - Naughty and Nice by Ruth Cardello
*12/03 - Thunderclap (Twitter/Facebook) - Free Download - Eternal Breath of Darkness by Candice Stauffer
*12/04 - Thunderclap (Twitter/Facebook) - ArtofSocial Media by Guy Kawasaki
*12/04 - Thunderclap (Twitter/Facebook) - To Rome With Lust by K D Grace
12/01 - Promo Blitz/#Giveaway (Reading Addiction Blog Tours) : Power Packed LitFic Vol 1
12/02 - Book Blitz(YA Bound) : Life In The No Dating Zone by Patricia B. Tighe
12/03 – Book Blitz(YA Bound) : Inner Fire by R.L. Stedman
12/03 - Cover Reveal (InkSlinger PR): Saving You by Kelly Elliott
Coming soon
December
*12/07 - Thunderclap (Twitter/Facebook) - Owlet by Emma Michaels
*12/08 - Thunderclap (Twitter/Facebook) - 100K Free Book Giveaway
12/08 - Release Day Launch (InkSlinger PR): Christian by Jennifer Foor
*12/09 - Thunderclap (Twitter/Facebook) - For All in the Hope Blitz by Going Off Dreams Saga
*12/09 - Thunderclap (Twitter/Facebook) - Read Tuesday
*12/12 - Thunderclap (Twitter/Facebook) - Santa's Indie Book Giveaway
*12/12 - Thunderclap (Twitter/Facebook) - The Christmas Nights Collection
12/13 - Promo Blitz/#Giveaway (Reading Addiction Blog Tours) : Ratgirl: Song of the Viper by Gayle C. Krause
*12/15 - Thunderclap (Twitter/Facebook) - Blackout Kindle Countdown Deal by Alecia Stone
*12/15 - Thunderclap (Twitter/Facebook) - Talisman Of El is FREE by Alecia Stone
12/15 - Release Day Blitz (Bewitching Book Tours): Debt Collector Season Two by Susan Kaye Quinn
12/15 - Release Day Launch (InkSlinger PR): Crush by J.C Emery
12/17 - Cover Reveal (InkSlinger PR): ASA by Jay Crownover
12/18 - Release Day Launch (InkSlinger PR): Skip to the Good Part Vol 2
*12/20 - Thunderclap (Twitter/Facebook) - Star Promise Release by G.J. Walker-Smith
12/21 - Book Excerpt (InkSlinger PR): The Witches of the Glass Castle: Uprising by Gabriella Lepore
12/29 - Release Day Launch (InkSlinger PR): Hundred to One by Freya Barker
*12/30 - Thunderclap (Twitter/Facebook) - Celebrate our anniversary!by Jacqueline Driggers
12/30 - Release Day Launch (InkSlinger PR): Desires of the Soul By Gina L. Maxwell
12/30 - Release Day Launch (InkSlinger PR): Enduring Fate by Alicia Rae
January
1/2 - Freebie Friday - Full House by Janet Evanovich
1/9 - Freebie Friday - The Red Badge of Courage by Stephen Crane
1/9 - Guest Post (InkSlinger PR): Desires of the Soul By Gina L. Maxwell
Friday, November 28, 2014
Author Guest Post : K-9 Cop: Case #1 The Dreck Report! By Erna Mueller
About the Book:
No one thought as highly of Lieutenant Spencer Watley as he did himself. This selfish cop met 14 year-old Justin Andrews during an important stakeout. Determined to nab a group of cyber killers, he wasn’t going to let anything get in his way, especially a smart mouthed teenager like Justin.
After Spencer bids him good riddance, he is killed by the hackers and stands before the gates of heaven. But - what’s this? After a life of putting dangerous criminals behind bars, he’s locked out?
He yells at the angel blocking his entrance, only to find out he needs to go through the J.R.P. program before he can enter. That’s the Jerk Redemption program, otherwise known as sensitivity training boot camp, which to his horror consists of non-stop Oprah and Dr. Phil reruns. Or he can go back to earth and help Justin’s dysfunctional family. Spencer opts for the lesser of two evils, to help Justin.
But the Angel pulls a fast one on Spencer. He can only go back to earth in the body of his K9-Partner. Spencer refuses, but like it or not, Spencer becomes a dog. He falls back to earth and is slowly morphed into a dog that closely resembles a mop.
And if being a dog wasn’t bad enough, Spencer also swallowed an important microchip his killers need to hack into PC’s and steal millions. Now the criminals are hot on his trail for the only existing microchip that’s logged in his belly.
Justin and Spencer butt heads constantly; both are stubborn and willful, neither one wanting to give an inch. Spencer needs to find out what the killers are up to, so he swallows his pride and forms a bond with the boy. Spencer relays to Justin his past and together with the help of Justin’s girlfriend, Shahla; they discover the hacker’s plans. Spencer has broken down Justin’s reserve and he finally learns the meaning of unselfish love.
But it’s too late, the hackers have captured them.
Can Spencer maul the shins (and other choice areas) of his kidnappers and stop them from their evil plan?
Can a selfish man find a heart?
You bet. He just has to become a dog first.
For More Information
• K-9 Cop is available at Amazon.
• Pick up your copy at Barnes & Noble.
• Watch the book trailer at Youtube!
• Discuss this book at PUYB Virtual Book Club at Goodreads.
10 Things You Might Not Know About K-9 Cop by Erna Mueller
1.) It’s about a surly cop who lands before the gates of heaven but can’t get in, and about Justin, a 14 year-old teenager who’s trying to find himself. The cop’s only chance to enter heaven is to go back to earth in the body of his K-9 partner and help Justin and his dysfunctional family.
2.) My book K-9 Cop is adapted from my screenplay “A New Leash on Life”; it received many screenwriting awards, for instance 1st place at the Huston International Film Festival and the Hollywood Screen Writing Institute among others.
3.) As a first time writer it was difficult to find a production company that would back my screenplay. An agent suggested I adapt my screenplay into a book to gain recognition. I am very happy I took the advice since I found the novel writing process more rewarding.
4.) After adapting my screenplay into a novel titled “K-9 Cop” it won 1st place in The Good Read Competition at awomenswrite.com.
5.) Once the novel was completed I sent out numerous query letters to agents and publishing houses and no one wanted to read a chapter of a first time novelist. I can start a bonfire with the rejection letters I’ve received. And get ready to hear from Literary Agencies that their roster is full and can’t accept any new authors, but the majority of publishers do not accept any unsolicited manuscripts. For me, self-publishing was the only way out of this maze.
6.) This is a young adult book for tweens and teenagers. But keep in mind K-9 Cop is definitely not adult repellent. Readers of all ages seem to enjoy my book.
7.) I wrote this book because I love the creativity, unearthing a new world with your imagination. Breathing life into your characters and giving words a heartbeat. It’s very cathartic.
8.) I love animals and their relationship to humans. I also love the story of redemption and second chances, which is what K-9 Cop is all about. Dogs are amazing in their drive to please their masters. They overcome obstacles like a Navy Seal and do the job for the joy of it.
9.) I thought a Young Adult book would be a great idea to write for a first time novelist. I always loved family orientated books and movies and was searching for a story that depicts the human condition with all its splendor and frailties. What better way than through a surly cop who has to go back to earth in the body of his K-9 partner
10.) I am writing a sequel to K-9 Cop.
About the Author
I was born in Austria and my family immigrated to the U.S. I loved living here as a child and considered the U.S. my home. My family returned to Austria and of course I had to tag along. I missed the friendly faces and the cultivation of the free spirit which America symbolizes. In Austria I completed my education but always wanted to return, so here I am.
I traveled the world and lived in many exciting cities such as Paris, Munich and London. I currently work as an accountant for a large pizza company in Seattle by day and passionately pursue a career as a writer in my spare time.
My new book, K-9 Cop, is adapted from my multi-national award winning screenplay. The book has won several awards including first place in the 2009 National Good Read Competition sponsored by awomenswrite.com.
Please visit my web site at http://www.k9cop-woofwoof.com for more reviews and other info.
For More Information
• Visit Erna Mueller’s website.
• Connect with Erna on Facebook and Twitter.
a Rafflecopter giveaway
Release Blitz/#Giveaway : The Bleaklisted Books by David Brown
Release Blitz: The Bleaklisted Books
Non Fiction / Comedy
Date Published: November 28, 2014
My mini-irons,
I urge you to embrace the goose-spell of Animal Farm and you will find sanctuary when our difficult war is over. I will add, of course, that given that conquering the world means a long, long, long, long, long war, I will permit you to read another book every now and again.
Just remember which books are bleak-listed; e.g. Barry Potterer, 100 Years of Silly Tudor, Prude and Perjury, The Hungary Olympic Games, The Chronicles of Nerdia and Of Mike and Ben.
In the meantime, here is a list of books I have vetted and will reconsider for approval if the appro... apprap... proper changes are made. Read this manyule carefully mini-irons.
Your Cat-tain
Charlie Brown
About the Authors
Donna Brown
Donna is a longtime book lover and sometime book reviewer and has devoured books from an early age. She writes short (or long) stories as and when inspiration hits and is married to fantasy author David M. Brown (Fezariu's Epiphany, A World Apart). She was also co-author of Man vs Cat with David, a humorous look at life with their six rambunctious rescue cats.
Donna has lived in many different areas of the UK over the last 30-something years but has remained in Yorkshire for the past decade. She ardently disputes the misnomer that 'It's grim up north'. You can find Donna on Google+, Twitter and Goodreads, or visit her and her husband's shared blog: B-Lines and Felines.
David Brown
David Brown could be considered a fantasy fanatic, especially since he has spent the last 10 years developing a 47,000-year history for his fictional world of Elenchera. When converting his obsession into literary form, David commits himself to a rigorous writing and editing process before his work can meet his approval. Combined with the critical eye of his wife and a BA Hons in History and English, David's dedication leads him to his goal of inspiring readers through heartfelt stories and characters.
Although David is inspired primarily by fantasy fiction, he also finds his muse in the form of anime, world cinema, history, and biographies. His own books, Fezariu's Epiphany and A World Apart, and the forthcoming Ansel's Remorse and The Stars Beneath the Parapets combine aspects from worlds both old and new into compelling tales of a world not soon forgotten. David himself certainly does not lack a spirit of adventure; in fact, he left his job in 2007 in order to spend a month travelling. Second only to meeting and marrying his wife, David counts this as one of the most amazing experiences of his life.
You can find David on Twitter, Facebook and Goodreads, along with the blog he shares at B-Lines and Felines.
Contact Links
Buy Link
Giveaway
A paperback or audiobook copy of the previous Feline Central Book Man vs Cat plus a $20 Amazon gift card
Wednesday, November 26, 2014
Grand Finale Blitz : Christmas, Actually Anthology
A themed tour through Prism Book Tours.
It's the MISTLETOE KISSES TOUR Grand Finale for
Christmas, Actually
By Anna Adams, Anna J. Stewart, and Melinda Curtis
Three Harlequin Heartwarming novellas, where a sweet kiss takes place under the mistletoe.
Did you miss any of the excerpts, guest post, or reviews on the tour?
Feel free to go back and check out all the stops now!
Launch - Intro to the Collection
Christmas, Actually – three holiday stories about three siblings living in Christmas Town, Maine, where tradition has it that a kiss on Christmas Eve in the town square gazebo will lead to wedding bells in the new year!
Christy's Cozy Corners - An Interview with Anna Adams
How was it decided that the story would take place in Christmas Town, Maine?
We were looking for a setting that spoke of the holidays, and I’d lived in Maine in a town that decorated the green for Christmas. I described it, and someone suggested Christmas Town as a name for our fictional village.
Coffee Books & Art - Excerpt
Snowflakes hit the windshield and splayed into star shapes while Bing Crosby crooned his dreams of a white Christmas. Sophie Palmer tried to sing along, but her mind was already racing up the icy interstate to Christmas Town, Maine, where the father of her unborn child now lived.
The Book Lovers' Lounge - Christmas Town by Anna Adams
And I imagined my own broken hero, Jack Banning, watching from the sidewalk, there in the town, but watching from the boundaries because he doesn’t belong any more.
Getting Your Read On - Review
"Yeah, I really loved my time in Christmas Town with the Banning family. Each story was unique and romantic. I loved all the characters. They were real and identifiable. It is the perfect book to curl up with as the days get colder and we get closer to Christmas."
Colorimetry - The Power of a First Kiss by Anna AdamsHe’s at her house, killing time because he can’t go home and face his brother’s happiness when another friend calls to offer him an investment opportunity. Mary is leaning against George, also listening on the phone, when finally, he admits to his feelings. He takes her in his arms for a kiss he clearly doesn’t want even as he desires nothing in the whole wide world more than the hometown love of his life.
Southern Chelle - Review
"I don’t think I’ve read anything by any of these authors before, but these novellas have me falling hard for their work! I used to receive the Harlequin Heartwarming books monthly, but I didn’t have room for anymore paperback books in my house and had to give it up. I’m so glad they’ve continued these offerings!"
Kelly P's Blog - An Interview with Anna J. Stewart
5. What do you hope readers will take with them after reading your story?
There's nothing better than a happily ever after--that's why I write (and read) romance, but that's kind of the easy answer. I think at its core, the story is about learning how to be open with others, to tell them how you're really feeling about situations that are emotionally damaging them. Dean, Callie and Eliza all have to do this at some point during the story and once they do, the happily ever after is possible.
My Love for Reading Keeps Growing - Excerpt
“Is this a bad time?” The combination of sympathy and amusement shining in green eyes, along with the tamed Irish lilt, called to mind fields of clover dotting rolling hills. She’d spent many a night and more than a few days dreaming of traveling to the Emerald Isle. Now it seemed as if Ireland had come to her.
Shoulder-length, golden-streaked hair brushed the worn leather of the bomber jacket he wore over snug jeans, the hint of a plain white T-shirt peeking from under the collar.
The Wonderings Of One Person - Dream Cast for The Christmas WishThere are some actors who just “hit” from the second I lay eyes on them. When looking for images of my Dean, I did not have to look much further than Chris Hemsworth.
Casting my heroines has always been problematic for me. Typically, I use another medium for inspiration (I’m a doll collector), but when I saw this picture of Nina Dobrev (Vampire Diaries), I knew that was Callie.
Casting my heroines has always been problematic for me. Typically, I use another medium for inspiration (I’m a doll collector), but when I saw this picture of Nina Dobrev (Vampire Diaries), I knew that was Callie.
Christian Chick's Thoughts - Review
"The Christmas Date: The instant I started reading this story, I knew I was going to love it. There's just something about those You've Got Mail-esque stories that I love. Nick and Gina are both so likeable, and their chemistry lept off the page. This was easily my favorite of the three stories!"
Bookworm Lisa - Review
"Each of the author's did a great job in telling their story. I liked the descriptions and the characters.
This book is a fun way to get into the holiday season and find a little clean Christmas romance."
fundinmental - My Top Ten Christmas Traditions by Anna J. Stewart
I LOVE Christmas time. Truly, from about Halloween on, I’m all about the tinsel, the trees and the music (why do they have to stop the Xmas carols on the 26th?!). For years now it’s just been my mom and me during the holiday season, but we’ve got our traditions…and they start early…even before we carve the Thanksgiving turkey.
Beck Valley Books - An Interview with Malinda Curtis
What’s your favorite aspect of the story?One of my favorite aspects is Gina's parents. They've tried for years to do what they thought was right and it strained their character and their relationship. This year, they rejoin the pageant and the town's festivities in a very public way. It's a small part of the story, but a set of vignettes that I love.
Mel's Shelves - Review
Painted Words - Review
"I loved seeing the siblings in each other's stories and enjoyed getting to know them. These stories are quick, easy reads which are perfect to get you in the mood for Christmas. I love that they're all clean so I can recommend it to everyone! Christmas Town was a fun place to visit!"
Painted Words - Review
"But what I truly loved about this book was that it didn't feel at all repetitive which can be a big hindrance to books like this especially if written by multiple authors. It was an absolutely beautiful story, one that I look forward to reading again next year at this time and it was the perfect way to start off the season."
I Am A Reader - Melinda Curtis’s Favorite Treat at Christmas Time (with recipe)My mom is a fan of Jell-o salad. At Christmas, she’d serve us a slice of Jello salad on a leaf of lettuce with a dollop of mayonnaise on top. The first time Mr. Curtis had this dish, he happily took a big bite, expecting it to be whipped cream on top. Kudos to him for keeping his disappointment to himself.
Deal Sharing Aunt - Excerpt
Wishful Endings - Excerpt (4-star review here)
In the wee hours of Christmas Eve morning, Gina stood at the edge of the town square and traced the deep, jagged scar that ran from her left temple to her jawline with the tip of a gloved finger, as if her touch could erase the past. The small ball of worry, the one that hadn’t let her sleep last night, expanded like bread dough in her chest, pressing against her lungs.
I should have told him.
Wishful Endings - Excerpt (4-star review here)
“Are you kidding? You’re beautiful. Why would he do that?
“You have to say that. You’re standing in my kitchen.” With me practically in your arms. Nevertheless, she hugged his words to her heart. No one had ever called her beautiful before.
JoJo's Corner - 10 Gifts Ideas for Your Teen/Young Adult & Review
I'm a little bit anal about the holidays. I have a
basic list I work from that my kids will enjoy or find useful. They're
all in college now, but that doesn't mean they want a package of socks for Christmas.
Here's a list of 10 suggested gift giving categories for your teen/young adult...
basic list I work from that my kids will enjoy or find useful. They're
all in college now, but that doesn't mean they want a package of socks for Christmas.
Here's a list of 10 suggested gift giving categories for your teen/young adult...
Review: "Christmas, Actually is the perfect collection of stories to cuddle up and enjoy on a cold wintry night!"
Undercover Book Reviews - Review
"Three stories in one book, a great way to start the Christmas season off! Anna Adams takes you on three separate journeys in the life of Jack, Callie, and Gina as each tells their own story. The plot is good in each one."Katie's Clean Book Collection - Review
What a fun story! The reader is taken on a journey through Christmas Town, Maine and we get to see snippets of what makes this town special through the eyes of three different characters.
Christmas, Actually
by Anna Adams, Anna J. Stewart, & Melinda Curtis
Clean Contemporary Romance
Paperback & Ebook, 202 pages
November 1st 2014 by Harlequin Heartwarming
Discover the magic of Christmas Town, Maine!
Three lonely strangers come to Christmas Town, Maine, and find love with three Banning siblings in the town that celebrates the holidays by decorating its square with lights and ribbons and a holiday pageant on Christmas Eve. Tradition has it that a kiss beneath the mistletoe that night means marriage for the couple in the new year.
The Christmas Gift by Anna Adams:
Jack Banning promised to support the mother of his unborn child… But she doesn't need money, she only needs him.
The Christmas Wish by Anna J. Stewart:
Callie Banning's student has declared war on Christmas, so it's up to her to help the little girl—and her widowed father—believe again.
The Christmas Date by Melinda Curtis:
Gina Vernay is about to meet her online mystery date…and she's in for the surprise of a lifetime!
Amazon - Barnes & Noble - Harlequin - iTunes
About the Authors
Anna Adams wrote her first romance in wet sand. The Atlantic Ocean washed it away, but Anna kept going. Her stories are of love, like the proverbial stone in a lake, making ripples that spread and contract and involve. From Iceland to Hawaii, and points in between, Anna and her own hero share with children and family and friends who’ve become family. All this living and loving gives Anna plenty of fodder for stories of love set in real life. Come along and live them with her!
Anna J. Stewart can't remember a time she didn't have a book in her hand or a story in her head and credits her mother never saying no to a book for turning her into a writer. Anna lives in Northern California with an overly attentive cat named Snickers and is happiest when setting her heroes and heroines on their road to happily ever after amidst family, fun and laughter.
Melinda Curtis grew up on an isolated sheep ranch, where mountain lions had been seen and yet she roamed unaccompanied. Being a rather optimistic, clueless of danger, sort she took to playing "what if" games that led her to become an author. She spends days trying to figure out new ways to say "He made her heart pound." That might sound boring, but the challenge keeps her mentally ahead of her 3 kids and college sweetheart husband.
Tour-Wide Giveaway
- Gift Card Prize Pack: $20 Amazon gift card and ebook of Christmas, Actually (open
internationally)
internationally)
- US Prize Pack: Paperback of Christmas, Actually and three Christmas ornaments
(US only)
(US only)
- 3 ebooks of Christmas, Actually (open internationally)
Ends November 30th
Feature Post : Diamonds and Dust by Jessie Evans
DIAMONDS AND DUST by Jessie Evans released yesterday - if you're in need of a swoonworthy cowboy (and who isn't?), you've got to meet Pike! Check out this excerpt below!
About DIAMONDS AND DUST
A sexy second chance romance from NYT and USA Today Bestselling author Jessie EvansThe home run neither of them expected…
Pike Sherman is a legend in Lonesome Point, a hometown boy who made it to the big leagues. Literally. Professional baseball acquired one hell of a pitching arm and its latest celebrity bad boy when the gifted Pike was drafted seven years ago. Pike’s broken heart came along for the ride, too, but he kept that private, and since leaving Lonesome Point has kept his distance from his hometown. But when Pike’s little sister, Mia, begs him to be the Dude of Honor at her wedding, he can’t refuse. He takes advantage of a break in the season and returns home to find himself thrown together with the one woman he never wanted to see again.
Tulsi Hearst is on the verge of losing her Equine Therapy business, and letting down all the kids she’s come to love. After a mix-up with the grant board, she needs to concentrate on finding more funding, not dealing with Pike Sherman, the boy she sacrificed so much for, and the one person she’s ever lied to. And what a lie it is… Pike would hate her if he found out. She knows she should stay far away from the brooding man her summer love has become, but Tulsi can’t resist a slow dance with the only boy who ever made her blood rush.
After just a few days back in Lonesome Point, Pike can’t imagine life without the girl he left behind, but when Tulsi’s secret is revealed, his heart is broken all over again. The only thing worse than losing Tulsi, is losing six years with the daughter he didn’t know he had.
Add it to Goodreads here!
Amazon | Barnes and Noble | iBooks | Kobo
Excerpt
Under normal circumstances, Tulsi would have still been reeling from the nightmarish meeting with Chad. But with Pike’s arm around her, gluing her to his muscled body as he practically carried her across the street, all she could think about was how incredible it felt to be close to him. It was almost too much to wrap her head around.
Pike was touching her, holding her. Her body was pressed tight to his for the first time since he’d kissed her behind the barn at his parents’ house seven years ago, the afternoon everything had gone to hell, and her body was on the verge of a spontaneous meltdown. She tried to tell herself this didn’t mean anything and Pike would have responded the same way if it had been any of Mia’s friends being harassed by a creep. But she’d never heard him sound so angry and the possessive way he’d swept her out of the office had her stomach fluttering and her body aching to get even closer to him.About Jessie Evans
New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Jessie Evans, gave up a career as an international woman of mystery to write the sexy, contemporary Southern romances she loves to read.She's married to the man of her dreams, and together they're raising a few adorable, mischievous children in a cottage in the jungle. She grew up in rural Arkansas, spending summers running wild, being chewed by chiggers, and now appreciates her home in a chigger-free part of the world even more.
When she's not writing, Jessie enjoys playing her dulcimer (badly), sewing the worlds ugliest quilts to give to her friends, going for bike rides with her house full of boys, and drifting in and out on the waves, feeling thankful for sun, surf, and lovely people to share them with.
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Cover Reveal/#Giveaway : Forever Found by Nazarea Andrew
![Pageflex Persona [document: PRS0000026_00025]](http://www.inkslingerpr.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/11/Forever-Found.jpg)
Today we are revealing the cover for FOREVER FOUND by Nazarea Andrews. This is a novella that will be released on December 30th and it is the stunning conclusion to the story begun in Girl Lost.
BOOK BLURB:
Losing Gwen was one of the hardest things I've ever had to survive. I've never loved anyone the way I love her.
But finding her was never about that. And now that I have found her--now that she knows the truth about me and the Island, I have to trust her to believe. Because her leaving me didn't just destroy me--its killing Neverland.
I need her to love me. But we all need her to believe again.
Peter Pan has grown up and found the girl who left--but the stakes are higher than ever in this romantic conclusion to the story begun in Girl Lost.
CLICK HERE TO ADD FOREVER FOUND TO GOODREADS.
EXCERPT:
Gwen is leaning against the window. Every time I leave her, I forget. She’s not all gangly limbs and huge eyes and dirty hair hanging in her face, flinching at her own shadow. Not anymore. That Gwen still haunts my island, but this—this Gwen is breathtaking.
She thinks she’s broken. Fractured pieces of a broken mind, held together by medication and stubborn denial. But she doesn’t see herself, not the way I do.
Lane had that right. She’s breathtaking—even now, when I know she’s sad and broken. She stands straight, a pair of thin sleep pants curving around her ass before falling loose and free to the floor. Her shoulders are back, graceful and strong, under the thick sweater she’s wearing, her hair pulled into a messy knot at the top of her head.
She can see me, my reflection in the dark glass. And I see the tension in her tighten, drawing her up and sharp, until she’s almost vibrating with it. “Why are you here?” she asks, her voice low and hoarse.
She sounds like that when she’s been crying. I know—I’ve heard her so many times, heard her tears. Wiped them away. Whispered happy thoughts until I teased a smile from her.
“Peter,” she snaps, and I jerk, out of the memories and into the moment.
“You ran away.”
She gives an unladylike snort. “You decided you were a delusion of my past, and then you expected me to sit there and listen to your insane ramblings. Thanks, but no. I can’t do that. I’ve had enough crazy for one life.” She bites her lip, and then blurts, “You stole my file, didn’t you? That’s how you know about the Boy.”
“Do you remember the firefly meadow?”
She goes still, and I smile, gently. “You do.”
“That wasn’t real,” she whispers, and I feel the shudder.
“We’d hide there, from the lsot boys. And you’d fall asleep telling me your happy thoughts, and wake up to a galaxy of fireflies, and we’d chase them until you made yourself sick, laughing. And then I’d hold you and we’d stare at the stars, and you always said they were different. It smelled like jasmine and honey-“
“And wild woods and freedom,” she whispers, her blue eyes impossibly wide in her pretty face. I take a tentative step toward her, and touch her fingers.
Why are your stars different?
“It wasn’t a delusion, Gwendy. You know it wasn’t. Trust yourself.”
She shudders. “Can’t. My mind lies. It wasn’t—“
“Gwendy,” I say, desperately. Her eyes are filling with tears and I can feel the disbelief, the way it will tear apart the world I’ve known, and the girl I’ve loved, and I can’t. I move without thinking, catch her head and bring her lips to mine.
AUTHOR LINKS:
Site - http://www.nazareaandrews.com/
Blog - http://www.nazarea-andrews.
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Tuesday, November 25, 2014
Book Blitz/#Giveaway: Anomaly by Tonya Kuper
Anomaly (Schrodinger's Consortium #1)
by Tonya Kuper
Release Date: 11/25/14
Entangled Teen
Summary from Goodreads:
Reality is only an illusion.
Except for those who can control it…
Worst. Birthday. Ever.
My first boyfriend dumped me – happy birthday, Josie!- my dad is who knows where, I have some weird virus that makes me want to hurl, and now my ex is licking another girl’s tonsils. Oh, and I’m officially the same age as my brother was when he died. Yeah, today is about as fun-filled as the swamps of Dagobah. But then weird things start happening…
Except for those who can control it…
Worst. Birthday. Ever.
My first boyfriend dumped me – happy birthday, Josie!- my dad is who knows where, I have some weird virus that makes me want to hurl, and now my ex is licking another girl’s tonsils. Oh, and I’m officially the same age as my brother was when he died. Yeah, today is about as fun-filled as the swamps of Dagobah. But then weird things start happening…
Like I make something materialize just by thinking about it.
When hot badass Reid Wentworth shows up on a motorcycle, everything changes. Like, everything. Who I am. My family. What really happened to my brother. Existence. I am Oculi, and I have the ability to change reality with my thoughts. Now Reid, in all his hotness, is charged with guiding and protecting me as I begin learning how to bend reality. And he’s the only thing standing between me and the secret organization that wants me dead…
When hot badass Reid Wentworth shows up on a motorcycle, everything changes. Like, everything. Who I am. My family. What really happened to my brother. Existence. I am Oculi, and I have the ability to change reality with my thoughts. Now Reid, in all his hotness, is charged with guiding and protecting me as I begin learning how to bend reality. And he’s the only thing standing between me and the secret organization that wants me dead…
About the Author
Tonya Kuper's debut, ANOMALY, the first in the Schrodinger's Consortium young adult scifi trilogy, releases November 2014 by Entangled Teen. She lives in Omaha, NE with her two rad boys and husband, is a music junkie, and a chocolate addict. Star Wars & Sherlock fan.
Author Links:
Excerpt 2 from ANOMALY by Tonya Kuper
Another bell rang. I spun wildly, searching for the source, and my foot slipped out from under me. My left foot joined my right, sliding down a rocky surface.
A scream tore past my lips.
My brain fought to figure out what was happening as my hands gripped for something—anything—because I was falling. My head swiveled.
I couldn’t comprehend the giant, gaping crack I’d fallen into. A fissure in the ground at least eight feet wide. My fingers sunk into the cracked concrete, barely holding on. Sliding.
Then I looked down.
No end in sight. An abyss.
Everything around me blurred, and all I could see was black. And in that blackness was the one thing I was terrified of: death. My stomach pitched and my chest heaved, but no air moved in or out of my lungs. I was suffocating.
Ripping my eyes away from the darkness, I focused on my hands, still grasping at the gravely terrain crumbling beneath them. My right foot slipped, and my fingers dug deeper into the ground. It was a mixture of rock, and mud, and I didn’t know what. It felt like glass shards were being shoved under my fingernails.
I dug in with my toes, using the muscles in my legs to slow my descent. I slid to a halt, but the rocks and substrate continued to crumble beneath me. I searched blindly for a sturdy foothold. My foot found a rocky lip, but as soon as I thought it was safe, it gave way. My right silver flip-flop plummeted into the darkness so eager to swallow me.
Attempting to force my gaze upward, I focused on the contrast of the dark surrounding me and the bright light above, the line where they met. Technically, I’d die in broad daylight.
“Think, Josie.” The voice was strong, demanding. It took a second for it to register. “Josie, look at me.”
Reid. Reid was here. That’s where I was. I was at Reid’s place. I’d come here to train. I’m an Oculi. It all became clear as I broke free from the terror.
I wrenched my head toward his voice, my gaze meeting his. He crouched above me at the surface, his eyes my lifeline because he didn’t offer a hand. He wasn’t about to coddle me. That wasn’t his style. He said, “Breathe. Think.”
Dragging in an uneven breath, looking into his clear eyes, something clicked in the far reaches of my mind.
Stairs.
I Pushed with no effort. No headache, no nausea. I blinked, and stairs carved themselves into the side of the chasm, jutted out as if they’d always been there. With great hesitancy, I climbed the stairs on all fours, close to the wall. I could see the surface, right within my reach.
Whoosh.
The stairs were gone.
I felt myself tumbling, falling. Flailing along the wall of the abyss with nothing to stop my descent.
“React, Josie!”
Think.
I focused on the surface, on the light growing dimmer the farther I skidded. Earth. Ground beneath my feet. I Pushed. And Pushed.
Pain. Nausea. Dizziness.
Thunder sounded below, like the darkness of the chasm was rising up to swallow me whole. Something hit my feet so hard that it tossed me in the air.
Up. Up. Into the light.
My thoughts didn’t coalesce clearly, but I felt myself rising. The pain behind my eyes made my vision waver. I shot to the warehouse floor. Reid reached for me as I collapsed.
My lungs rebelled, and tears burned trails down my cheeks. Dirt covered my hands and caked beneath my fingertips. One fingernail had broken to the quick. It bled sullenly. I wasn’t about to look weak in front of him, though, so I held out my arm to ward off his offer of help. I stood tall on trembling legs.
Reid closed the gap between us, his arms extended like he would embrace me. “Josie—”
The light streaming through the warehouse windows dimmed and flickered. Darkness edged my periphery. I balled my trembling fist and slammed my knuckles into his cheek. White heat shot through my hand before everything went black.
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Release Day Book Blitz/#Giveaway : Hemlock Veils by Jennie Davenport
Hemlock Veils
Release Date: 11/25/14
Swoon Romance
Summary from Goodreads:
When Elizabeth Ashton escapes her damaging city life and finds herself in the remote town of Hemlock Veils, Oregon, she is smitten by its quaint mystery; but the surrounding forest holds an enchantment she didn’t think existed, and worse, a most terrifying monster. The town claims it vicious and evil, but Elizabeth suspects something is amiss. Even with its enormous, hairy frame, gruesome claws, and knifelike teeth, the monster’s eyes speak to her: wolf-like and ringed with gold, yet holding an awareness that can only be human. That’s when Elizabeth knows she is the only one who can see the struggling soul trapped inside, the soul to which she is moved.
Secretly, Elizabeth befriends the beast at night, discovering there’s more to his story and that the rising of the sun transforms him into a human more complex than his beastly self. Elizabeth eventually learns that his curse is unlike any other and that a single murderous act is all that stands between him and his freedom. Though love is not enough to break his curse, it may be the only means by which the unimaginable can be done: sacrifice a beauty for the beast.
Secretly, Elizabeth befriends the beast at night, discovering there’s more to his story and that the rising of the sun transforms him into a human more complex than his beastly self. Elizabeth eventually learns that his curse is unlike any other and that a single murderous act is all that stands between him and his freedom. Though love is not enough to break his curse, it may be the only means by which the unimaginable can be done: sacrifice a beauty for the beast.
About the Author
Though Jennie Davenport was raised throughout the Midwest, she now lives in the little desert mining town of Bagdad, Arizona, where six guys beg for her constant attention: a husband, three young, blond sons, a German shepherd with a name much mightier than his disposition (Zeus), and a black cat named Mouse. When she isn’t trying to run her home with as little casualties as possible, Jennie loves snuggling with her family, laughing with her friends, delving into brilliant entertainment of any vein, and playing outside. Despite the way being a writer is in her blood, and the wheels of her writerly mind are constantly turning, Jennie likes to think that in another life, she would have been a Broadway star. Or an American Idol finalist.
Jennie lives for the fall, and not just because of her adoration for the NFL (Go Broncos!). In her perfect world, she would have the springs, summers, and falls of Colorado, and the winters of Arizona—someplace where the climate and weather would allow her to go on a trail run all year round. But even though she prefers the pines and mountains, she is a devoted fan of all nature, from sandy beaches to woodsy cabins, and all are her greatest inspiration. She believes nature is one of the best healing remedies, with a magic all its own.
Jennie’s passion for writing is the way she survives, and is as vital to her sanity as oxygen, caffeine, food, and music. Even before she began writing it, well-told, original, and character-driven romance was always her weak spot. Add the paranormal or magical realism element and she may never make it back to reality.
Jennie’s passion for writing is the way she survives, and is as vital to her sanity as oxygen, caffeine, food, and music. Even before she began writing it, well-told, original, and character-driven romance was always her weak spot. Add the paranormal or magical realism element and she may never make it back to reality.
Author Links:
Excerpt
Every trace of Willem’s blood had been scrubbed away days before, but Elizabeth Ashton’s hands would never be clean. It caked the space beneath her otherwise spotless fingernails, embedded there for life.
She drove northwest on Oregon’s U.S. Route 26, the cone of her only functional headlight attempting to cut through a fog so dense it had the ominous appearance of a living, breathing being. It had hovered from the moment she passed through Warm Springs twenty-eight miles ago, like a protective shield that settled over the Indian Reservation.
Cash fattened the worn corners of the manila envelope on the passenger seat. It screamed for her attention, but she didn’t look. She wouldn’t be able to see it in the dark anyway. It taunted her as bluntly as the murderous smile of her brother’s killer. It belonged in the hands of its rightful owner, not on the hardened vinyl seats of her Saab.
At that moment, the fog lifted like an unveiling curtain, and rain pelted the windshield with a livid fury, the almost-midnight sky heaving its early April wrath. With a rigid hand, she turned on the wipers, setting rubber shrieking against glass. She slowed the car when her single headlight illuminated the wooden sign announcing Mt. Hood National Forest, which meant Warm Springs Reservation was behind her.
A certain peace settled through her at the sign’s passing, despite the highway that appeared as a flowing river. It was the presence of her father, the way this wilderness she’d never seen embodied the man she missed more than anyone, even her only brother, Willem. Her father’s soul had never left this place he used to gush about, his heart always belonging with the firs and cedars of Salmon-Huckleberry Wilderness. Willem had been too young, and later too distant, to remember most of their father’s tales, but Stephen Ashton had spoken of these forests with lifted brows and animation in his eyes.
She chose this place as a sanctuary for that reason—this wilderness she had seen only in her imagination. Though she wasn’t free of her conscience, or the money beside her, she was painfully free of ties, free of weighted responsibilities for the first time she could remember. And now she would see the places that had once meant everything to her father, the places he used to swear he would take her and Willem to one day, when he got healthy again.
Only, he never got healthy again.
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